14 Fun Facts about Delhi
New Delhi, the capital of India is one of the busiest cities in the country. People are not wrong when they say that it is not just a place but an experience! From the various bureaucratic and diplomatic enclaves, to the alleys in the old market, the city has a lot to offer. It is a paradise for those who have interest in culinary and equally as charming for those who have a knack for historic destinations.
Read more about Popular Attractions in Delhi
Before you visit the city, here are some top fun facts about Delhi you would not like to miss!
1. Delhi and New Delhi are actually two different areas. When we speak of Delhi as an outsider, you might think that is it same as New Delhi, however, New Delhi serves as the capital of India while Delhi is larger part around it. Basically, New Delhi is a territory within Delhi which was designed by British when they shifted the capital from Calcutta to here. New Delhi has the seat of three very important parts of Government of India - Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. 2. Delhi is the home to the largest spice market of Asia. The Khari Baori market was opened in the 17th century and till date it is one of the most reputed and largest spice markets of Asia. It is located close to Fatehpur Masjid and when you cross the area, you can get too many smells which can scintillate your taste buds.
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3. Did you know that the magnificent Red Fort, which is almost the landmark of the city, was actually white in color! Survey conducted by archaeologists found that the fort was initially made up of limestone and with time, the stone used to wither away which was painted by the British in red as a part of preservation. 4. Although Delhi is a popular tourist hubs, one of the fun facts about Delhi is that it is also the leading commercial centers of Northern India. You will see a huge chain of retail industries here and there are all growing very rapidly.
5. Transports in Delhi run on CNG, which is compressed natural gas. This is one of the very important steps taken by the government to maintain the pollution level in the city. Be it the buses or the auto rickshaw, you will find them all running with CNG.
See also Delhi Transportation
6. One of the very weird fun facts about Delhi is that it is the home to unique Museum of Toilets. This is not exactly what you would like to see as a tourist in the first round, but the idea is to offer a perfect message about the history of sanitation in the city. It is called Sulabh International Museum which aims to spread the importance of hygiene all the across the globe. It was established by Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak in 1992.
See also 7 Most Visited Museums in Delhi
7. The city was once surrounded by 14 Gates but today you will find only 5 of them standing. Robert Smith built the Kashmere Gate in 1835 and is the northernmost gate of the city. In 1644, the Ajmeri Gate was built which faced Ajmer. The main entrance of Red Fort is called the Lahori Gate which you can still find today. The Dilli Darwaza which is also called the Delhi Gate is another way into the Red Fort. A 13th century gate, called the Turkman gate is located in Shahjahanabad. 8. The capital city of India has hosted the most expensive Commonwealth games in 2010 and still remains to be so.|
Qutub Minar in Delhi
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9. Delhi is the second most populated city globally which is not much of a shocker if you look at how many people have migrated here in search of jobs and business. 10. Delhi is where you will find the tallest minaret of the world. It is one of the most popular tourist sites as well. Qutub Minar is a beautiful and one of the most remarkable structures of Delhi Sultanate period that was built during 1200 AD by Qutb al-din Aibak. 11. The city has the 13th largest metro rail networks globally. This has been positioned so keeping in mind the length of the stations which is about 193 kilometers (120 mi). Interestingly, there are yellow lines on the metro station which are uniquely designed that can help to guide the blind people. See also Delhi Metro 12. One of the very interesting fun facts about Delhi is that it is also known as Lutyens Delhi. This is because, the capital city was designed by British architect Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. To honor his contribution, the city is sometimes so named. 13. Another interesting fun fact about Delhi is that it is one of the richest places to see birds. After Kenya and Nairobi, Delhi ranks as the second most avian-rich capital in the world. The number of bird species that you can find here is almost unparallel to any other places. 14. In terms of market, Delhi hosts the largest wholesale market of vegetables and fruits in Asia. So, apart from the spice market, you can also find a wholesale market of vegetables and fruits in Azadpur and takes up an area of about 80 acres.